Connector for use between an integrated-circuit and a circuit panel



June 23, 1970 i u SARAZEN ETAL 3,517,376

CONNECTOR FOR USE BETWEEN AN INTEGRATED-CIRCUIT AND A CIRCUIT,PANELFiled Aug. 16, 1968 6 Sheets-Sheet l 25 25 -1 J r P M M \MM w J. c.SARAZEN ETAL 3,517,376 CONNECTOR FOR USE BETWEEN AN INTEGRATED-CIRCUITJune 23, 1970 AND A CIRCUIT PANEL 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 16, 1968June 23, 1970 J SARAZEN ET AL 3,517,376

CONNECTOR FOR USE BETWEEN AN INTEGRATED-CIRCUIT AND A CIRCUIT PANELFiled Aug. 16, 1968 6 Sheets-Sheet '5 June 23, 1970 J SARAZEN ET AL3,517,376

CONNECTOR FOR USE BETWEEN AN INTEGRATED-CIRCUIT AND A CIRCUIT PANELFiled Aug. 16, 1968 6 Sheets-Sheet i 4 4 33 a 35 vfifi 3/ c q 2 55 f 33)V 4 a T FWGU FIG.1O FIG.I2

June 23, 1970 J. C. SARAZEN ET AL CONNECTOR FOR USE BETWEEN ANINTEGRATED-CIRGUIT AND A CIRCUIT PANEL FIG.|7

6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG June 23, 1970 C SARAZEN ET AL 3,517,376

CONNECTOR FOR USE BETWEEN AN INTEGRATED-CIRCUIT AND A CIRCUIT PANEL 6SheetsSheet 6 Filed Aug. 16, 1968 FIG. 25

3,517,376 CONNECTOR FOR USE BETWEEN AN INTE- GRATED-CIRCUIT AND ACIRCUIT PANEL John C. Sarazen, Mansfield, John M. Pierini, SouthAttleborn, and Reidar G. Larsen, North Attleboro, Mass., assignors toTexas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of DelawareFiled Aug. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 753,287 Int. Cl. H01r 33/72, 33/04, 21/02US. Cl. 339-192 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A block ofinsulating material is provided with a row of openings through each sidewall for registration with corresponding rows of openings in a circuitpanel or board. The openings in the block are formed with inlets andoutlets. A conductor extends through and from each opening. Eachconductor comprises a male terminal extending from an outlet and afemale jack in an inlet. The jacks are for the reception of pins ofso-called dual, dual, i-n-line, pin-type integrated circuit units. Thesepins generally have rectangular cross sections. Each jack is made of twospring leaves forming a pin receiving clip. The leaves of each clip aredeflected apart by ribs in an in-line, pin-type integrated circuitunits. These pins tension in the leaves before reception of a pin andprovides a comparatively wide space for such reception. The rib designalso provides excellent contact position control relative to othercontacts in the same socket. The arrangement of the leaves is such thatthe narrow edges of the pins engage the leaves over small areas andfurther spring the leaves to provide improved contact pressure. Eachconductor is provided with means for making a removable interference fitin a hole of the block. A number of blocks are mounted on one side ofthe circuit panel which may be of the printed type. The male portions ofthe conductors extend through a panel for attachment of circuitry on itsother side. To effect changes in circuitry conductor replacements mayreadily be made.

Prior art connectors of the class herein considered have been arrangedto receive the terminal pins of integrated circuit units with theclip-forming leaves of their jacks engaging the wide sides of suchterminals. Since the terminals were small in cross section, for exampleabout .015 inch wide and .004 to .005 inch in thickness, thepin-receiving clip space and spring opening movement of its leaves wereboth small, while the area of contact was comparatively large. Thesefactors made difficult the insertion of the thin circuit terminals andafter insertion resulted in low contact pressure. Therefore it wasdifficult not only to insert and push home the somewhat delicateintegrated circuit pins without damage thereto, but, once home, thelow-pressure contacts were not as reliable as desired. By means of thepresent invention the leaves of each female jack engage the narrow edgesof an integrated circuit terminal and are deflected some distance apartbefore convenient insertion of a pin. This affords a larger space foreasy pin entry and greater, more reliable contact pressure when the pinsare driven home into the jacks. Another advantage is that conductors maybe replaced in the blocks without removal of the blocks from UnitedStates Patent "ice Patented June 23, 1970 the printed circuit panels towhich they are attached. This avoids the costly removal of an entireconnector block assembly from a printed circuit panel in order to reviseonly a few connections.

Referring to the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a connector block with one form of conductor inplace;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a right-hand end view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation of FIG. 1, parts being broken away to showseveral conductors in place;

FIG. 6 is a cross section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view of a block opening without a conductorin place;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are fragmentary sections taken on lines 88 and 9-9respectively of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation of one form of conductor such asillustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 11 is a left-side elevation of FIG. 10, parts being shown insection;

FIG. 12 is a right-side elevation of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of FIG. 11;

FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 are cross sections taken on lines l414, 1515 and1616 respectively of FIG. 10;

FIGS. 17, 18, 19 and 20 are views similar to FIGS. 10, 11, 12 and 13 butshowing another form of conductor;

FIGS. 21, 22 and 23 are cross sections taken on lines 21-21, 2222 and2323 respectively of FIG. 17;

FIG. 24 is a fragmentary view of a mounting-hole layout in a printedcircuit panel for registration of a connector block therewith;

FIG. 25 is a view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating the use of connectorterminals such as shown in FIGS. l7-23;

FIG. 26 is a perspective view on a reduced scale of the type ofintegrated circuit unit which the connector of the invention receives;and

FIG. 27 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing a spring clip in place andspread by an integrated circuit terminal shown in section.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings. The drawings are greatlyenlarged with respect to the actually very small parts.

Referring to FIGS. 1-6, there is shown at numeral 1 a hollow connectorblock of molded electrically insulting material such as glass-fillednylon, a polysulfone or the like. The block is formed by bottom, sideand end walls 3, 5 and 7 respectively. The lower portions of the sideWalls 5 are exteriorly stepped to provide for tapered wedges 9 locatedat intervals (FIG. 2). In one end wall 7 is an identification notch 11.In the bottom wall 3 are openings 13 surrounded by outside raisedcollars 15 to prevent inflow of adhesive (when used) for attachment to apanel. A bottom rim 28 surrounds the outside of the bottom wall 3.Openings 13 are for screws which in the alternative may be used forattachment to a panel.

A row R of openings is provided in each wall 5. Each opening consists ofa rectangular tapered inlet 19, beveled at its entrance as shown at 21and having a smaller straight square outlet 23 (see FIGS. 1, 3, 5, 6, 8and 9). On the long sides of the rectangular inlet openings 19 arecentrally located ribs 25, the uses of which appear below.

Conductors C (shown in detail in FIGS. 10-23) extend through the rows ofholes R. Each conductor is formed with a female jack portion 29, thelatter being shaped by two jaws in the form of spring leaves 31 havingflaring outer ends 33 and connected at their bottom ends by a bridgeportion 35.

Referring now to a first form of conductor shown in FIGS. 10-16, thereextends from the bridge 35 a male terminal part 27 which is in the formof a flat solderable tongue having sidewise lands 37 and tapered at itslower end as shown at 39. When conductors C, such as shown in FIGS.10l6, are pushed into the empty openings illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9,they become fixedly mounted as illustrated in FIG. 5, since the lands 37provide interference slip fits in the outlets 23 when a conductor ispushed in. However, since the block 1 is composed of nylon or the like,the conductor C may be pushed out when required. When pushed in, springleaves or jaws 31, 33 of the jack 29 become supported and spreadsomewhat on opposite sides of the centering ribs 25 in the inlets 19.This as shown in FIG. 5 initially centers, separates, and tensions theleaves 31, 33 somewhat before insertion of the terminals 17 of anintegrated circuit unit U such as shown in FIG. 26. The general planesof the flared portions 33 or clips 29 are transverse to the widths W ofthe rectangular sections of the terminals 17 of units U when the laterare in position to be plugged into a connector block 1. This places thenarrow edges N of such terminals 17 in contact with the leaves 31, 33and spreads them away from the ribs 25 thus further tensioning them toimprove contact as a unit U is plugged into the block (FIG. 27).Heretofore it has been the widths W of terminals 17 that have engagedthe jaws of jacks which were positioned at 90 to their positionsaccording to the invention. The advantages of our features are that theintegrated circuit terminals can easily be pushed into the partiallyseparated leaves 31, 33 and a more substantial contact pressureobtained. This is further enhanced by the fact that the small area ofcontact is on the narrow edges N of terminals 17, thus providingsubstantial unit pressure under a comparatively modest total pressuresupplied by each spring leaf 31, 33 of the jaws of a female jack.

After the conductors C have been inserted into their respective openingsin the blocks 1, the resulting assembly such as shown in FIG. 5 or 25may be applied to a printed circuit panel P (FIG. 24). The maleterminals 27 are inserted through the prepared openings 42 in panel P.Final attachment may be made by means of an epoxy adhesive which iscontained by the rim 2%; or screws extending through openings 13' inblocks 1 and 45 in panel P may be used for attachment. After assemblythe male terminals 27 appear on the opposite side of the panel where itscircuitry is carried. Connections to terminals 27 are made by soldering.If repairs or changes are needed in connections to be made With a maleterminal 27, the soldered connection therewith may be undone and part ofterminals 27 cut off from its jack 29 which may then be readilyextracted from the block 1 Without removal from the panel, unlessdesired. Extraction may in some cases be effected without cut-off. A newconductor may then be inserted for making a new connection.

In FIGS. 1723 is shown a second form of conductor, lettered C, in whichlike numerals indicate like parts. In this case the male terminals arenumbered 27 and each is in the form of a comparatively stiff post formaking a wire-wrap type of connection thereto. Near the connectionbetween each terminal 27 and its jack 29 there are formed barbs 43 foranchoring in the respective outlet 23 when the conductor C is pressedinto an opening 19, 23. Then after application to a panel, connectionswith terminals 27 are made by Wire wrapping. The conductors in the formshown in FIGS. 17-23 are to be pushed out for replacement. This may beaccom- 4 plished by insertion of a rod through jack 29 and against astep 47, as illustrated by the arrow in FIG. 18. Tapping this rod seversterminal 27 at a thin breakable connection 49. Then the jack 29 may bewithdrawn and a new conductor C inserted.

Some panels and boards are provided with sockets for the reception ofconnector blocks. The purpose of the tapered webs 9 in the offsets inthe side walls 5 of the block 1 is to form means for wedging and holdinga block in place when inserting it into such a socket in a panel orboard.

In use, an appropriate number of blocks 1 are fastened to a panel P sothat the terminals 27 or 27' of the conductors C or C extend to thecircuit side of the panel through the holes 42. The terminals 27 and 27are then appropriately connected to the circuitry by soldering terminalsC or wire wrapping on terminals C, as the case may be. Then appropriateintegrated circuit units U (FIG. 26) are plugged into the respectiveblocks with individual contacts being made between the jaws 31, 33 andthe narrow sides N of the terminals 17 (FIG. 27). To make a replacementof a conductor C, its terminal 27 is unsoldered and C may then be easilyremoved by pushing out 27, or pulling out its jack 29. In the case of aconductor C, its wire-wrap connection is unfastened and by inserting andtapping a rod against offset 47, the weak connection 49 is broken andterminal 27 driven out after which its jack 29 may be picked out. Ineither case removal of the block 1 from the circuit board P isunnecessary, although this may be done if screw connections are used.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

What is claimed is:

1. A connector comprising an insulating block having a top and a bottomand having a plurality of openings extending therethrough from said topto said bottom, each of said openings having walls defining a relativelylarge inlet portion of said opening adjacent said block top and defininga relatively smaller outlet portion of said opening adjacent said blockbottom, said openings being arranged in a pair of straight rows andhaving equal space between each pair of openings within each row, and aplurality of electrical conductors disposed in respective blockopenings, said conductors having respective male terminal portionsextending from said block bottom and having respective female jackportions disposed in said inlet portions of said openings accessiblefrom said top of said block, said female jack portions each being formedof a pair of spring leaves disposed in spaced, facing relation to eachother, said spring leaves of each of said pairs having respective leaveends connected to a bridging con- .ductor portion and having respectiveopposite ends of said spring leaves which flare away from each other,said spring leaves of each pair having said opposite ends thereofdisposed in spaced relation to said walls of said inlet portions of saidopenings, said conductors being oriented in said openings with each pairof said spring leaves in each row facing each other in a directionparallel to the direction in which said row extends.

2. A connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said spring leaves ofeach conductor are resiliently biased toward each other and whereinopposed ribs in each inlet portion of each opening are disposed betweenspring leaves in each of said female jack portions for holding each pairof said spring leaves in spaced relation to each other against saidbias.

3. A connector for making electrical connection between circuitry on afirst side of a perforated circuit panel and at least one terminal pinof a circuit-forming unit located on a second side of the panel,comprising an insulating block attachable to the second side of thepanel and having at least one opening therethrough for registration witha perforation in the panel, said opening having an inlet and an outlet,

a conductor held in and extending through said opening, said holdbetween said conductor and opening being of the releasable interferencetype for conductor removal and replacement in the block, said conductorhaving a male terminal portion extending from said outlet for insertionthrough a perforation in said panel to reach said circuitry forconnection thereto, said conductor including a female jack portionlocated in said inlet, said jack portion comprising spring leaves flaredoutwardly in said inlet,

and means in said inlet disposed between said leaves to hold them sprungapart to some extent in the absence therebetween of a terminal pin, saidmeans comprising a pair of oppositely disposed centering ribs in saidinlet extending between said leaves from opposite sides thereof, saidleaves being disposed to be further sprung apart by insertiontherebetween of said pin.

4. A connector for making electrical connections between circuitry on afirst side of a circuit panel having at least two rows of spaced panelopenings therethrough, and two rows of equally spaced terminal pins of adual-inline, integrated circuit unit to be located on a second side ofthe panel, said pins having substantially flat sides in common planes intheir respective rows and having comparatively narrow edges in saidplanes, comprising:

An insulating block attachable to the second side of the panel andhaving two rows of spaced conductor openings therethrough forregistration with said respective panel openings, each conductor openingin the block having an inlet and an outlet, said block being of hollowconfiguration formed by end and side walls and a rimmed bottom wall,said bottom wall having additional mounting openings therein, theoutlets of said additional mounting openings being surrounded by raisedportions of said bottom wall around said mounting openings to permitreception of screws therein to attach said block to a panel or to permitreception of adhesive on the bottom wall within its rim to attach saidblock to a panel, which adhesive is prevented by said raised portionsfrom entering said additional mounting openings when the latter are notused for screw attachment of said block to a panel,

a conductor extending through each conductor opening in said block, eachconductor having a releasable interference fit in its respectiveconductor opening and having a male terminal portion extending from itsoutlet for insertion through one of said panel openings to reach saidcircuitry for connection thereto, said releasable interference fits ofsaid conductors in said conductor openings being between said maleterminal portion of said conductors and said block at said outletportions of said conductor openings, each conductor including a femalejack portion located in its inlet, each jack portion comprising at leasttwo spring leaves flared outwardly within its inlet,

opposed ribs in each inlet disposed between the leaves therein to holdthe leaves sprung apart to some extent in the absence therebetween of aterminal pin, said leaves being disposed to be further sprung apart byinsertion between them of a pin,

said leaves being so disposed relative to said planes of said terminalpins inserted between said leaves that said narrow edges of the pinsengage the leaves for electrical conduction.

5. A connector according to claim 4 wherein said block is formed withside walls having wedging ribs for insertion and retention in panelrecesses provided therefor.

6. A connector comprising an insulating block having a top and a bottomand having a plurality of openings extending therethrough from said topto said bottom, said openings being arranged in a pair of straight rowsand having equal space between each pair of openings within each row,and a plurality of electrical conductors extending through respectiveblock openings, said conductors having respective male terminal portionsextending from said block bottom and having respective female jackportions accessible from said top of said block, said male terminalportions of said conductors each comprising a post having a barb thereonengaging said block within a respective block opening, each of saidbarbs having a tapered surface facing said block bottom and a flatsurface forming an acute angle with said tapered surface facing saidblock top, said male terminal portions of said conductors each having abreakable portion of lower strength than the remainder of said terminalportion located between said barb and said female jack portion of saidconductor for permitting breaking of said conductor and removal of saidfemale jack portion from said block top, said female jack portions ofsaid conductors each being formed of a pair of spring leaves disposed infacing relation to each other and resiliently biased toward each other,said conductors being oriented in said openings with each pair of saidspring leaves in each row facing each other in a direction parallel tothe direction in which said row extends.

7. A panel system comprising a panel member having electrical circuitryon one side thereof and having a plurality of openings extendingtherethrough from one panel side to an opposite panel side, saidopenings being arranged in a pair of straight parallel rows with equalspaces between each pair of openings within each row, at least oneinsulating block having a top and a bottom disposed with said bottomfacing said opposite panel side, said block having a plurality ofopenings extending therethrough from said top to said bottom, said blockopenings being arranged in a space of straight parallel rows in registryWtih respective panel openings, a plurality of electrical conductorsextending through respective block openings, said conductors each havinga male terminal portion extending from said block bottom through a panelopening with at least some of said male terminal portions beingelectrically connected to said circuitry on said one panel side, saidconductors having respective female jack portions accessible from saidblock top each formed of a pair of spring leaves disposed in facingrelation to each other and resiliently biased toward each other, saidconductors being oriented in said block and panel openings with eachpair of said spring leaves facing each other in a direction parallel tothe direction in which said rows extend, and at least one dual-in-lineintegrated circuit unit having a plurality of male terminal portionsextending therefrom into respective female jack portions of saidconductors to be resiliently engaged by respective pairs of said springleaves.

8. A system as set forth in claim 7 wherein block means are disposedbetween the pair of spring leaves in each female jack portion forholding said pair of spring leaves in spaced relation to each other inthe absence of said integrated circuit unit terminal portions forfacilitat ing replacement of said integrated circuit unit in saidsystem.

9. A system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said male terminal portionsof said conductors have releasable interference fits in respective blockopenings.

10. A system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said male terminal portionsof said conductors each comprise a post having a barb thereon engagingsaid block within a respective block opening, each of said barbs havinga tapered surface facing said block bottom and having a 7 8 fiat surfacemaking an acute angle with said tapered sur- 3,337,833 8/1967 Creedon339-14 face facing said block top. 2,468,368 4/1949 Jackson 173328 11. Asystem as set forth in claim 10 wherein said male 2,73 6,875 2/1956Protz 339-198 terminal portion of each of said conductors has a break-3,015,083 12/1961 Juris 339--l76 able portion of relatively lowerstrength than the remainder of said male terminal portion locatedbetween 5 FOREIGN PATENTS said barb and said female jack portion of saidconductor 202 209 2 1959 Germany for permitting breaking of saidconductor and removal of said female jack portion of said conductor fromsaid block MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner top.

References Cited 10 L. J. STAAB, Assistant Examiner UNITED STATESPATENTS US. Cl. X.R. 2,156,319 5/1939 Steele 175-183 195 3,325,7666/1967 Kolb et a1. 339-18 Disclaimer 3,517,376. 07m 0. Samze'n,Mansfield, John M. Pier'z'm', South Attleboro, and Reizlar G. Larsen,North Attleboro, Mass. CONNECTOR FOR USE BETWEEN AN INTEGRATED CIRCUITAND A CIRCUIT PANEL. Patent dated June 23, 1970. Disclaimer filed June13, 1973, by the assignee, Tamas I nstmments lncorpomted. Hereby entersthis disclaimer to claims 1 and 7 of said patent.

[(Jfim'ul Gazette Demmlmr II, 7973.]

